Tottenham closing in on deal for £10m Duff

Tottenham fans should not lack for sweeping movements down the wings this season in the light of reports of Damien Duff's imminent move across London for about £10m to link up with Aaron Lennon, one of the few England players to emerge from the World Cup with an improved reputation.

The Republic of Ireland winger was a Chelsea club-record £17m buy when he moved from Blackburn in July 2003 and has a year to run on his £70,000-a-week contract, but having recently signed the Germany captain Michael Ballack the English champions are now stuffed with midfielders, both central and wide. The arrival of the striker Andriy Shevchenko from Milan will also limit the chances for wide players at Stamford Bridge next season.

Agreeing terms thought to include a £50,000 weekly salary with Duff would take summer spending by the Tottenham manager Martin Jol to over £30m. The 27-year-old Dubliner is thought to have already passed a medical with a view to linking up with his international captain Robbie Keane for Spurs' tilt at the Uefa Cup.

There has even been speculation that the Juventus shake-out could see the midfielder Pavel Nedved end up in north London but the questions Spurs' fans will now be asking is how all this will be paid for. The striker Jermain Defoe looks to be heading north and the midfielder Michael Carrick is thought to be on the way to Manchester United for about £15m.